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Chapter 21
“So it was because of you.”
She had long since given up on believing that her daughter would voluntarily return to being the girl she used to be.
If she didn’t lock her up at home until the counseling appointment was set, there was no telling what kind of “good deeds” she might go around committing again.
“Father? What brings you out here?”
“……”
“Oh, and this is Julian. It’s your first time meeting him in person, right?”
But of all things—her daughter returning from an outing with another man tucked under her arm.
Any resolve she had made was forgotten as Anwen’s mouth fell open.
With a fiancé already, she’s running around with some strange man…?
What if the Crown Prince used this as an excuse to demand an annulment of the engagement?
Seeing his daughter smiling so calmly, Anwen felt a sharp ache at the back of his neck.
He had wished she would return to the days when she committed wrongs as naturally as breathing—but not this kind of disgrace.
“Wait. Julian? You mean that butcher who was expelled from the House of Fisher?”
“Oh my, you know him well.”
But the shock didn’t stop there.
Leriel, who used to discriminate even among fellow nobles based on rank, was now bringing a man who had fallen all the way to commoner status and introducing him to her father.
It was unbelievable. No matter how much his daughter had changed, this went beyond “changed”—it was like she was an entirely different person.
What on earth is this…
As Anwen blinked in a daze, his gaze slowly shifted to Julian standing beside Leriel.
A man expelled for being too good.
And a daughter who had become good.
As Anwen pieced the facts together, this combination suggested another possibility.
An unfamiliar rage began to creep across his face, which had moments ago been filled only with shock.
Clenching his cane handle tightly, just short of dropping it, Anwen hissed:
“So it was because of you….”
“What? Father, what are you talking about—”
“You miserable worm! How dare you put strange ideas into my daughter’s head?!”
Convinced he had found the culprit, Anwen unleashed all the emotions he had bottled up until now. Raising his voice, he lunged at Julian and swung his arm.
Thud.
The cane in his hand struck Julian squarely on the head.
It happened in an instant.
“Ugh!”
“Julian!!! Father, what do you think you’re doing?!”
“Get out of the way! That bastard is the one who ruined you!”
Julian, struck without warning, staggered and nearly fell.
Blood streamed vividly down from his split forehead. Yet Anwen didn’t stop—unsatisfied, he swung his arm even harder.
Only after Leriel threw herself at Anwen to hold him back, and the servants rushed out at the commotion to separate them, did the situation finally calm down.
As soon as things settled, Leriel hurried out of the ducal residence with Julian in tow.
Finding a place to sit, she immediately began first aid.
“What do I do… I’m so sorry, Julian.”
His bangs were matted and a complete mess with blood.
As Leriel gently dabbed at his torn forehead with a wet handkerchief, Julian’s shoulders twitched once or twice.
Worry clouded Leriel’s face.
I haven’t even had time to publicize that I’ve become a good person yet. And the poster boy of the relief organization gets hurt—what am I supposed to do?
It wouldn’t have been strange at all if Julian became afraid of the Tenebris family because of this and started avoiding her.
He hadn’t even been a member of the White Wings for 24 hours—no, not even 24 minutes—and this happened.
What if rumors spread that the attacker of the relief organization’s chairman was Anwen Tenebris?
“They pretended to join a relief organization just to lure Julian out and assassinate him!”
“Apparently his volunteering has always been an eyesore to them.”
“I can’t believe they’d go as far as beating up someone doing good deeds…”
“See? All their good deeds up until now were just groundwork for their evil acts!”
…If rumors like that started, I’m finished!
Leriel cried out inwardly, resenting and cursing her father.
Since possessing this body, she had worked so hard to come this far. The thought that all her efforts might be undone by a single incident today drained her strength.
“Please don’t do that. You don’t need to feel guilty, Leriel.”
Misunderstanding her feelings, Julian smiled gently and took her hand, lowering it.
“I’m really fine. What the Duke said wasn’t entirely wrong. A commoner like me hovering around a young lady of a ducal house—of course he’d misunderstand.”
“Don’t say such nonsense. Even if it was a misunderstanding, there’s no way hitting someone like that is acceptable!”
“……I’m glad you think that, but the world isn’t full of only kind people like you, Leriel.”
I know that better than anyone.
With a bitter smile, Julian averted his gaze.
Only then did Leriel fall silent.
A bead of cold sweat ran down her back.
Could it be… that the White Wings membership is going to be canceled just like that?
Only a sense of foreboding, like a sky heavy with storm clouds, settled in.
“Just remember this one thing. No matter what happens, I will never resent you.”
But Julian’s desire for wealth was far greater than Leriel imagined.
“…Julian.”
“This is a resolve I made from the very beginning. No matter who points fingers at me, I won’t stop doing good deeds.”
Like a noble warrior standing against injustice, he spoke.
His blood-soaked bangs only strengthened that image.
Even after being beaten, he was saying things like this. Leriel felt ashamed for having underestimated him.
“So please, Leriel—don’t stop doing good deeds because of something like this.”
So that I can keep squeezing money out of you.
Seeing through his intentions as if they were transparent, Leriel covered her mouth, deeply moved.
A wave of emotion surged through her chest. Choked up, she couldn’t speak for a long while, then finally nodded.
Grasping his bloodstained hand, Leriel spoke in an earnest voice.
“I swear it, Julian. Even if the whole world criticizes me, I won’t stop doing good deeds.”
So that you can keep extracting money from my family.
She added firmly in her heart.
It was the moment their strong wills came together as one—though, when you really thought about it, they were each planning to use the other.
Still, outwardly it looked like quite a moving scene, so there was no problem.
“Thank you.”
With that, Julian smiled warmly and obediently offered his forehead to the hand reaching out to wipe away the blood.
For a fleeting moment, a smile of a different nature than the pure one he’d just shown surfaced over his lowered head—but Leriel deliberately looked away, pretending not to see it, and continued the first aid.
“Are you really okay? I’ve only wiped away a little blood.”
“Of course! Thanks to you, Leriel, it doesn’t hurt anymore. Thank you for helping me. I’ll be going now.”
Even when she offered to wrap a bandage, he waved his hand, insisting he was fine.
But the moment he stepped into a deserted alley, he spat out curses and groped at his injury.
The eyes that had been smiling in a gentle arc twisted instantly. His soft, kind voice turned harsh, spewing vulgar words that didn’t suit his mild face at all.
That was Julian’s true self.
“Damn it, that hurts like hell. I should’ve turned my head a bit more.”
Julian recalled the tip of the cane flying toward him. It was a blow he could have easily avoided.
But in that brief moment, he had decided that getting hit would be more profitable.
That way, he could plant something called guilt in Leriel’s heart.
Whatever. At this rate, she’ll be mine in a week.
She’ll treat me well out of guilt for getting me hurt, right?
Because that woman is disgustingly kind.
Just as he was grinning smugly, convinced he had completely fooled her—unaware that Leriel knew everything—
“Running late, aren’t you?”
“!”
A clear, jade-like voice rang out from ahead.
Startled, Julian quickly composed his expression. He reflexively put on a pure smile, but it didn’t last long.
“I was waiting for you.”
“…Saintess Anilla?”
